I Dare You
by ElusiveAuthoress
Summary: Meredith has secrets she's never shared with anyone, not even her best friends. When Stefan Salvatore comes to Fell's Church, his brother Damon isn't far behind. What will happen when Damon starts messing with Meredith's mind? Can she change him?
1. Prologue

_AN; This is my new Vampire Diaries story :) Please don't bite my head off if some facts are wrong. I haven't yet read The Return: Nightfall. So I apologize in advance for inaccuracies :) OH, also..I do not own Vampire Diaries._ Please read and review, so I know if i should continue or not.

DPOV

Stefan doesn't know I'm here. I don't think I'll tell him. Not yet; I'll toy with him for a bit first. He's so stupid; he honestly makes me wonder if my mother didn't have an affair. Maybe I'm some other man's child. Wouldn't that be quite the blessing. I'm hiding in the trees; from my perch l can spot a dark-haired girl leaving the psychiatric ward I'm watching.

I note her beauty, and I know I have my first victim in my new town. The girl looks around before unlocking her car, as if she isn't supposed to be here. Maybe she isn't. Her long, dark hair swings as she begins to get into her car, and I smile with anticipation. I have no doubt her blood will be sweet when I spill it. And she is quite beautiful. Maybe I'll toy with her, too. She seems too collected and calm, even from afar. I can change that.

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MPOV

I don't know why I'm so nervous. Probably because I'm not supposed to be here. Since I always break the rules, I thought I'd end up getting used to it. I never do. Though I could probably write the argument I'll have with my parents later. Every time they find out I've gone to visit my grandfather, we have a huge blowout. They say he's crazy and dangerous. I say he's lonely and misunderstood. We agree on lots of things; my grandfather is not one of them.

I enter the sterile-looking reception area, and the secretary smiles. "Welcome back, Meredith. Please, sit." I do, and they soon tell me my grandfather is awake and I can go visit. "Not too long this time, dear, he's not very lucid." I bite my lip as I enter the room, worry etched over my face. Gasping, I see that my grandfather is standing and talking to himself. I was taught what to do when this happens, but I still ignore it and try to reach out and touch who he used to be. "Grandfather?" I say, my voice like a little girl's.

I reach my hand out and touch his shoulder and he turns, jerking away and glaring at me. "Who the hell are you?" he demands. I wince. That hurts, even though he recognizes me less than half the time. I still remember when I was little, and he'd scoop me up and twirl me around and call me 'Mare'. I leave quickly after that, unable to watch my grandfather act that way. As I approach my car, the fine hairs on the back of my neck, and on my arms, begin to raise. I glance around quickly, my hair swinging. I swipe it out of my face impatiently, staring hard into the trees. Seeing nothing but a flicker of darkness, I get into my car and drive home. Sure enough, there is a battle awaiting me. I don't know why I bother anymore.


	2. And That's My Car

_AN; Yes, this story is progressing slowly x.x I know this. I promise the chapters will start getting longer, and more detailed. Review and let me know if I should continue? I'd love you forever :)_

Meredith sat, tapping her nails against the coffee table in an annoying staccato. She sighed, tucking her dark hair behind her ears and pretending to listen to her father lecture her. "...completely irresponsible of you to go to West Virginia without permission. We've told you and told you how we felt about this!" he said, voice sharp and controlled. Her entire family was this way, it seemed. Even herself. When they were angry, or frightened, they became more controlled, more quiet, instead of louder and angrier.

She folded her arms and shrugged her thin shoulders. "And I've told you and told you both that I won't abandon Granddad just because he's not lucid all the time," she said, each word enunciated and sharp, as if she were trying to cut him with her voice. "Meredith, it isn't acceptable. You know that. Just...go somewhere. Elena's, or Bonnie's," Mr. Sulez said wearily, putting a hand over his face.

She stood up and pulled down on the hem of her black T-shirt. "Fine," she said, taking her keys and leaving the house. She intended to drive straight to Elena's; they'd known each other for a long time. Elena would be able to make Meredith feel better, even if she didn't know exactly why the dark-haired girl was upset. However, it appeared she was going to have to deal with someone first.

The guy leaning against her car was tall and muscular, with fine, dark hair and black eyes. His leather jacket was of a subtly more expensive cut than the pleather ones guys around Fell's Church wore. It was obvious he wasn't from around here. What he was doing was unbelievably rude, leaning against her car as if he were allowed, his arms folded across his chest and his legs crossed at the ankles. He was the picture of ease. Meredith folded her arms as well, her dark brown eyes studying him in disbelief as she approached.

"I hate to disturb you, because you seem so comfortable. But that's my car you're leaning against, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped," she informed him, tapping her foot. He took his time in looking up, his obsidian eyes studying her in a way that made her feel as if he were memorizing the planes of her face. Slowly, he stood and extended a hand with a lazy grin. "Where are your manners, _caro_?" he asked her, using the Italian term of endearment lightly. She rolled her eyes and shook his hand, her polite upbringing never failing to come out. "I'm Meredith, and this is my car," she said, smiling sardonically. The stranger laughed richly. "I'm Damon. And this is my hand," he said pointedly, still holding onto hers. She pulled back swiftly.

"I know that," she informed him. Her dark eyes were shuttered, unreadable, and it annoyed Damon. She wasn't playing her part the way he wanted; she wasn't even slightly impressed with him. Damon wasn't used to this cool disdain from the female gender. It was slightly unsettling for him. His black eyes didn't reveal any of the turmoil going on behind his mask; nor did her dark brown ones reveal her confusion. They were a study in comparison, but somehow they were different. She coughed. "Could you move? I have places to be," she said coolly.

He stepped aside gallantly and opened her car door for her. "Of course, _caro_." Getting in, Meredith pulled it shut before he could shut it for her and put her key in the ignition. She was distracted by a sharp knock on her window. Rolling it down, she stared up into Damon's face. "What?" she asked, slightly annoyed. "I'll see you soon," he said, grinning, before he began to walk away. She frowned in annoyance and pulled out of her driveway, hoping none of her family had seen the exchange. That was the last thing she needed.


End file.
